This invention relates to a network control system in which units connected on a network are operated through the network, and more particularly to a unit control system that makes use of a graphical user interface (GUI) that supports unit operation by the user by means of graphics, characters, or the like on a screen.
Recent years have seen the debut of unit control systems in which graphics (icons) consisting of characters or the like, or screen display information showing the function of the units is displayed on a television screen, and a unit is controlled by using a television remote control to select from among these graphics. Another network system that has debuted makes use of IEEE 1394-1995 to connect DVC or other such digital units and transmit and receive audio/video data.
A conventional network control system is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 9-149325.
An example of a conventional network control system will be described below.
With AV units, such as with a digital interface of IEEE 1394 standard or the like, the various AV units are connected by a serial bus periodically given equal communication opportunities through a bidirectional packet communication system with other AV units without the various AV units being switch-connected.
Here, the various AV units each store their own screen display data, this screen display data is transmitted to a controller having a graphic display function (such as a television receiver) at the request of the controller, and the controller displays this screen display data.
The controller also has a function for inquiring about the data needed for the display of the connected AV units, and a function for controlling the display screen on the basis of the screen display data from the AV units.
The AV units each have a recording medium for storing screen display data, and a function for selecting the suitable screen display data with respect to the inquiry about screen display data from the controller.
With a conventional network control system configured this way, the screen display data is first stored in each device (AV unit), and is then outputted according to the display requests from the controller (television receiver), which results in the graphics of each individual device (AV unit) being displayed on the screen of the controller.
Technical Problems which the Invention Is Intended to Solve
A problem with the above structure, however, was that when the screen size of a controller was smaller than the screen size that a device was supposed to have, the information of the device could not be displayed properly. Another problem was that screen display data had to be incorporated from the device during the display of an operation screen for operation by the user, which resulted in poor response.
Furthermore, the method for controlling a device was not normally disclosed, and while a controller could display the information of a device with the above structure, there was the problem that it was difficult for the controller to control the device unless the method for controlling the device was disclosed. A particular problem was that when video or audio stream data was sent out from a device, because the method for determining which region of the transmission line it was being sent to was not disclosed, it was difficult for the controller or another display device to receive the stream data sent by the device.
The present invention was conceived in light of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a network control system with a simple structure, which can respond quickly to operation by a user and with which an operating environment that is easy for a user to understand can be constructed, even when the screen size that a device is supposed to have is different from the screen size of the controller.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a network control system with a simple structure, with which an operating environment that is suited to various functions or various units can be constructed, which can control various functions or various units with ease, and with which a controller and a device can share channel information for a transmission line by a simple method, and to provide a device and a controller that constitute this network system.
Method for Solution Thereof
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the network control system of the present invention is characterized in that the devices have a plurality of display parts that constitute an operation screen for the devices, the display parts have layout information showing the layout relationship to be assumed with the other display parts, the controller reads the display parts from the devices, and the display parts are displayed on a display screen according to this layout information.
It is also characterized in that the layout information is relationship information having the same information for a plurality of display parts to be laid out in proximity.
It is also characterized in that the layout information comprises identifiers of the display parts to be laid out in proximity.
It is further characterized in that the display parts have identifiers for the display parts to be laid out in proximity in the directions of up, down, left, and right.
It is also characterized in that one display part has a plurality of sets of layout information.
It is also characterized in that the devices have a plurality of display parts that constitute an operation screen for the devices, a set consisting of a number of display parts is shown from among the display parts, there are configuration set parts having information showing the priority order of display, the controller reads the display parts and the set information from the devices, and the display parts are displayed on a display screen according to information about the configuration set parts.
It is further characterized in that the configuration set parts have a hierarchical structure.
It is also characterized in that the devices have a menu consisting of a plurality of display parts showing an operation screen for the devices, the controller reads the display parts from the devices, and when the menu is larger than the display screen of the controller, the display of the controller is divided into a plurality of pages the same size as or smaller than the display screen, and the controller produces information about navigation between the plurality of pages and displays this information on the display screen.
It is also characterized in that the devices have display parts having manipulation information for changing the display of the operation screen through operation by the user, and a menu consisting of a plurality of the display parts showing the operation screen, the controller reads the display parts from the devices, the menu of the devices is displayed on the display screen, and the display of the display screen is changed through the operation by the user according to the manipulation information.
It is also characterized in that the manipulation information comprises identifiers showing the other display parts.
It is also characterized in that the devices have a plurality of menus, and the menus are equipped with display parts having as manipulation information identifiers that show the other menus.
It is also characterized in that the devices have help menus that explain the functions exhibited by the various display parts, and the display parts have as manipulation information identifiers that show the help menus.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the network control system of the present invention is characterized in that the devices have display parts that contain channel information indicating the channel of the transmission line and that constitute an operation screen for the devices, the controller reads the display parts from the devices, and the channel of the transmission line is set according to the channel information in the handling of the data shown by the display parts.
It is also characterized in that the devices have a plurality of display parts that constitute an operation screen for the devices and configuration set parts that have channel information indicating the channel of the transmission line and that show a set consisting of a number of display parts from among the display parts, the controller reads the configuration set parts and the display parts from the devices, and the channel of the transmission line is set according to the channel information in the handling of the data shown by the display parts belonging to the configuration set parts.
It is also characterized in that the devices have a plurality of display parts that show an operation screen for the devices and menus listing channel information indicating the channel of the transmission line, the controller reads the display parts and the menus from the devices, and the channel of the transmission line is set according to the channel information in the handling of the data shown by the display parts belonging to the menus.
It is also characterized in that the display parts, configuration set parts, or menus have flags showing the type of stream.
It is also characterized in that the devices have content display parts that constitute an operation screen for the devices, show the content handled by the devices, and list control codes specifying the content, the controller reads the display parts from the devices, and the controller uses the control codes to direct the transmission and receipt of the content to the devices in the operation of the content display parts by the user on the display screen.
It is also characterized in that the content display parts have channel information indicating the channel of the transmission line over which the content shown by the content display parts are transmitted and received.
It is also characterized in that the devices have display parts that constitute an operation screen for the devices, show the content handled by the devices, and list control codes specifying the content, and content configuration set parts that show a set consisting of a plurality of the content display parts, the controller reads the display parts and the content configuration set parts from the devices, the content display parts are displayed on a display screen according to the information shown by the configuration set parts, and the controller uses the control codes to direct the transmission and receipt of the content to the devices in the operation of the display parts by the user on the display screen.
It is also characterized in that the devices have display parts that constitute an operation screen for the devices, show the content handled by the devices, and list control codes specifying the content, and content menus that show the functions of the devices and codes that indicate one or a plurality of the display parts, the controller reads the content menus and the display parts from the devices, the content menus are displayed on a display screen, and the controller uses the control codes to direct the transmission and receipt of the content to the devices in the operation of the display parts by the user on the display screen.
It is also characterized in that the devices have display parts that constitute an operation screen for the devices and content menus that show the functions of the devices and codes that indicate one or a plurality of the display parts, the controller requests the right to use the devices, and the devices transmit a menu list containing identifiers for the display parts that constitute the menus of the devices to the controller when the devices grant the usage right.